Cotton-bale tie



(No Model.) I v J. FERGUSON.

GOTTONBALB-T IE.

No. 290,221. Patented Dec. 18, 1883.

Wfimemaaa v r mwmhw n mans. mummdu -W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.JAMEs FERGUSON, E BRIDGEWATEB, MASSACHUSETTS.

COTTON-BALE TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,221, dated December 18, 1883.

Application filed September 29, 1883.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

' Be it known that 1, JAMES FERGUSON, of Bridgewater, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cotton-Bale Ties, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement relates to bands for tying cott0n-bales; and it consists in a combination of a Sheet=ir0n bale-tie with a wire fastening for joining the ends, substantially as herein= after described.

In the common method of tying cotton-bales a buckle is used to join the ends of the sheetiron band, after it is placed around the bale and while the latter is between the platens of the cotton-press, by slipping the end or ends of the band through the buckle. 'With the more modern cotton-presses it is found possible to compress the bale of cotton to one-half the usual thickness; but this brings the platens of the press so near together that it becomes practically impossible to use the buckle in securing the band, and hence these presses are not worked to their full capacity of compres sion. My invention is designed to overcome this difficulty by providing a fastening for the ends of the band that can be applied in a very narrow space and be effective.

In the drawing the figure represents a side view of a portion of the platens of a press with the bale between them and my improvement in fastening applied to the ends of the band.

A is the upper platen of the press, and B the lower one. C is the cotton-bale between the platens. D is the sheet-metal band passing entirely around the bale, and having its ends brought nearly together on one side, as shown. I wrap each of these ends arounda round metal bar, d, which projects each way from the band for some little distance, and carry each end of the band backward between the latter and the cotton-bale for a sufficient distance to allow (No model.)

the pressure of the, band on the bale to hold it firmly around the bar (I as the bale expands. These ends may be secured in positionby a slight rivetthrough them and the band, to prevent their being displaced while being applied to the bale, if desired. In order to prevent the bar (I from slipping out of place, it is made with a broad groove, d in one or more of its sides, to receive the band where the latter is wrapped around it, and the shoulders d of this groove prevent the bar from working out of place endwise. In order to secure the ends of the band together when thus provided with the bars d, I use wire or other similar flexible metal cord or strap, 0, which can be easily bent, and which is carried or loopedaround the projecting ends of the bars 01, and has its ends twisted together; or, if desired, they niay be twisted across from end to end of a bar, d, and around the ends in the common form technically known as the belayhitch. The pressure of the bars (1 against the bale as it expands will then materially aid in holding the wire fastening in 'place.

This fastening possesses the advantages of being capable of use cheaply and quickly in very small space, of being easily removed by cutting the wire 6, and of leaving the bands in shape to be repeatedly used, while it has the requisite strength to hold against the greatest expansion, as any desired number of turns of the wire 6 can be made between the opposite bars, d d. What I claim as new and of my invention 1s- In a bale-tie, the combination of the band D, the projecting bars d d, and the metallic 8o cord 6, substantially as described.

JAMES FERGUSON. 

